Apartments
This page is under construction. Please check back soon. Introduction to Renting as a JET One of the most unique elements of the Tokyo JET experience is that we each choose our own apartments or share houses instead of living in teachers dorms or school housing like in other prefectures. This is great because we get to live anywhere in the city we want -- perhaps even within walking distance of our schools -- and get to ensure our living arrangements more accurately reflect our needs and desires! However, it comes with its own set of stresses. Namely, Tokyo JETs only have ONE day to view and sign for apartments in person. Which is why it is imperative that you begin researching now and creating clear and reasonable expectations and limits. That way, when you finally begin to email your real estate agent (usually in late July), you will be fully prepared to make a quick and informed decision about your new home. Every Tokyo JET's apartment hunting experience is different, but on this page we hope to provide you with enough information to give you a solid foundation for this new adventure. Quick Beginning FAQ How much does rent cost? :Tokyo JET rent is almost NEVER SUBSIDIZED by our contracting organizations. And while that might seem like a drawback at first, the JET Program's salary is more than enough to support your expenditures. :As a general life rule, you should look to spend no more than one third of your monthly salary on rent -- with responsible budgeting, this range allows for plenty of money for your other living and entertainment expenses as well as savings. :Given the first year JET monthly salary of 280,000yen/mo, you're looking at a generous maximum of ¥84,000/mo. This is generally the highest Tokyo JETs pay with most people paying within the ¥50,000-75,000/mo range. The farther you get from central Tokyo, the cheaper the rent. And for significantly smaller, less livable sized rooms, you can pay as low as ¥35,000 a month. How much should I expect to spend on utilities? :Whether utilities are included in your rent is going to depend on your apartment / share house. A single JET living alone can expect to pay ¥3500-5000/mo each for gas, electricity, and water depending on your usage. Water bills are usually paid every two months depending on usage. Can I live with my boyfriend/girlfriend/partner/spouse/bff/pet lizard? :Absolutely. You'll have most trouble with the pet lizard, honestly. And that's just a matter of finding an apartment that allows pets. As for the housemates of the human variety, there are no limitations in Tokyo. Can I find a furnished apartment? :No. It's simply not a thing here. You may find apartments that are listed as 'furnished' but often what this means is they have a built-in mini fridge, a small LCD tv, and possibly a foldable table and chair. It's really not worth your time. What do Tokyo JETs' apartments look like? (Tokyo JET video submissions) Get a feel for how Tokyo JETs live! Current JETs, want to submit your videos? Feel free to add them to this page or send them to tjetinfo@gmail.com and we'll put them up. Doing Your Research :As you begin to search the internet for apartments/share houses, it is important to keep in mind that your goal at this point is not to find the exact apartment you want to sign for, but rather to familiarize yourself with Japanese accommodations. :You want to have a selection of ideal apartments in order to show your assigned real estate agent the gist of what you are looking for. In the end, though, each agent will have a separate selection of contracts which they will be able to offer you which are similar to your ideas. Apartment Layouts and Terminology As you search for apartments you will see many keywords on the floor plans. Here are some of the terms you will need to be familiar with.